Therefore, it’s imperative to look after your mental wellbeing, as well as sending your beauty therapist team access to online tools that can help them manage stress, anxiety and fear, especially if they already have underlying mental health issues.
“We are very giving as an industry – we lend our ears to up to 10–15 clients per day, and we’re touching and absorbing their energy all day, every day. We just take on everybody’s stuff, so we need to make sure we’re looking after ourselves as well,” says Tom Chapman, creator of award-winning mental health training Barber Talk and founder of the Collective Pride Awards.
Tammy Koslowski, founder of Naf! Salon in Glasgow, agrees: “We work in the business of people – the services we provide are looking after people every day. They come to our space to feel good about themselves and take some time out for themselves, but it’s important for us as salon owners and employees to make sure we’re looking after ourselves so we can look after our clients without it feeling like a burden.”
We share some helpful resources that can help improve you and your team’s mental health and wellbeing.
The NHS states on its website that there are five steps you can take to improve your mental health and wellbeing – things that could help you feel more positive, and Chapman recommends trying it.
“It’s basically a way of making sure we look after ourselves physically and mentally. It focuses on things like connecting with others – however you like to do that, such as social media, going out with friends, or gaming online – just so that you connect with other people,” he says.
“Giving to others can help too as giving makes you feel good, and this doesn’t even need to be a gift. I urge everyone to give someone a text to let them know how much you care about them. It will make a huge difference to that person’s day.”
Check out Chapman’s advice on how beauty professionals can ensure their mental wellbeing in our Instagram Live.
First Aid for Mental Health courses are developed to support employers and employees to prioritise mental health.
The main aims are to remove the stigma of mental health, change the culture towards mental health and create kinder happier working environments.
Charlie Oscar, a training company that provides accredited First Aid for Mental Health courses aimed at aesthetics and beauty businesses, has been set up by aesthetics professional Karen Sargeant.
Once trained, employees can better spot the signs and symptoms of mental ill health and provide immediate help. They provide a point of contact for colleagues who raise concerns. They also understand their own mental health and how it affects their health, relationships, and productivity.
Timely Business Management Software has partnered with Tom Chapman to develop a four-pillar mental health training Virtual Masterclass, which has been developed to give beauty and hair professionals the tools needed to support clients and colleagues who are facing mental health struggles.
The course, available to all beauty and hair professionals, regardless of whether they are Timely customers or not, is a two-hour programme that takes the learner through four pillars of awareness; Recognise, Ask, Listen and Help.
The World Health Organization is championing good mental health with an array of resources and activities that provide help for those struggling.
As well as guides on how to manage stress and look after your mental health, the organisation also has vital information on depression, suicide, anxiety, and fear, and who to turn to for support.
The organisation says, "in cases if mental distress, the first step is to talk to someone you trust."
Mental health charity Mind has a suite of free tools available to boost your wellbeing during this time of duress. It is also advising those struggling with their mental health minimise the number of news alerts they get or limit their daily screen time if the stories are making you feel anxious or confused.
Although it’s important to stay connected with events, the charity advises getting your news and health information from trusted sources, such as the NHS and Gov UK. It may also be worth cutting down your social media use to avoid being spammed with fake news, which can heighten anxiety.
The Global Wellness Institute (GWI) launched its Positively Well campaign to encourage members of the beauty and spa industries to “replace fear with a focus on wellness”.
This is a space where you can find articles on how being positive can lead to better health outcomes, as well as trusted resources on what’s going on. There are also tons of advice available on reducing stress and boosting your immune system.
There are an array of affordable virtual therapy apps available online that enable you to chat with professional counsellors virtually. TalkSpace is one such app, where you can talk to a therapist about your concerns. Find out more about TalkSpace.
Vulnerable people can also access free online emotional support via The Help Hub. You can book a 15-to-20-minute session guided by a qualified therapist, who will give support to deal with the knock-on effects of anxiety and loneliness during social distancing.
Wellness app Calm has curated content to help stressed-out and anxious business owners boost their mental and emotional wellness. The tools include soothing meditations, sleep meditations, sleep stories, calm music, and visualisation and breathing exercises.
“Without a doubt, many of us are feeling anxious as we navigate the uncertainty of Covid-19. We’re feeling it too, and we wanted to share some of the tools we’re using to take care of our minds and stay grounded,” the brand said on its website.
Access Calm’s wellness resources.
The NHS also has an array of mental wellbeing audio guides to help boost your mood during this tough time. You can listen to them privately or play them out loud in your household to help your family manage their anxiety.
The guides, which each range between six and 10 minutes, cover anxiety control training, sleep problems, unhelpful thinking and how to tackle low mood, sadness, and depression. It’s worth adding one of these into your daily ritual.
Professional Beauty have a guide to the official mental health resources available throughout the UK. To access this guide, please click here
Original article written by Professional Beauty and featured here
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